A song that heals everything
Photo: Heidi Hattestein
I'm so proud! Everyone can be proud of this, beaming director Hilde Bjørkum. - Our entire festival apparatus, it must be the very best in the world! After five days of full houses and a fantastic atmosphere at the 27th International Folk Music Festival, one experience still stands out as the strongest for the director - Boundless lullabies, says Bjørkum moved.
Women from eight different countries showed the audience and each other how they sing to their children. The concert was called "Sulla meg litt du mamma mi" (Suck me a little, my mother) and was one of Førdefestivalen their own productions for this festival. Under the theme "Flight", the festival highlighted how people who flee from countries we associate with war and conflict come to us with a great wealth: Their own culture. Their own songs.
Slap me a little, my mother.. Boundless lullabies. Photo: Heidi Hattestein.
One by one they cleared their throats. Told what their names were, where they came from, how long they had been in Norway. Then they sang. Songs from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Syria, Sri Lanka, Norway. In love to his children. So that they will feel safe. Dream sweet dreams. Finally they sang together. The first song. The song that always heals.
“ – There and then we had the opportunity to meet each other as people, with this in common. The love for our children, says Hilde Bjørkum. ”
- For Førdefestivalen "It's a guideline to give the music experience the best possible conditions," Bjørkum continues. "Our audience is used to it, but artists who is here for the first time notes: -The audience is listening! Our audience is genuinely absorbed in the music. Førdefestivalen can sign off by bringing world stars who have never played in Norway before to the festival. When the brilliant Trio Madeira Brasil enchanted the audience in the auditorium at Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum on Sunday afternoon, it was for the first time on a Norwegian stage. Because Førdefestivalen "His audience deserves it," smiles Hilde Bjørkum.
Some artists been here before, some artists have even grown up with this festival. This year's commissioned work was signed by the young Jølsterman Erlend Apneseth. –I want to give you the sound of Førdefestivalen , he explained. Without this festival, I don't know if I would have been a musician at all.
-I was a little unsure whether the Norwegian Cultural Council would support us in our effort with such a young composer, says Hilde Bjørkum. But I explained to them that Erlend is a unique talent, and that we as a festival have a responsibility to promote young musicians like him, she further emphasizes. Thus, it happened as the festival wanted: The composition "Night Songs" saw the light of day in the festival hall to an enthusiastic reception from a packed festival hall.
Broukar. Photo: Heidi Hattestein
The world came into being Førde , once again. But the festival evolves with society and the roles change. The volunteer who greets the audience may be from the same country as the artist who has traveled far to come here. In the audience, compatriots sit and feel especially proud.
“ – Awsome. Yalla, Syria! Proud to be Syrian, we can read between the comments on the post on social media about Broukar's concert during the festival. ”
People from other parts of the world are not just guests on stage. They are just as welcome among us as listeners in the hall. When the Norwegian Gjermund Larsen Trio and the Swedish Nordic created musical magic in the main hall, the Asian woman next to me closed her eyes, sat completely still. A man with an African appearance put his head in his hands, rocking his body calmly with the rhythms. Behind me, a little boy crawled into his grandmother's lap and snuggled close to her. When the lights came on and the magic was broken, he was asleep. As an audience in the dark, we were together. Together to let the music embrace us. Together to feel that it did us good. This is how this festival has been. Like a boundless song, like everything healing.
Text: Janne Karin Støylen